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Updated: Jun 16, 2025
07:59
A Customizable Approach for the Enzymatic Production and Purification of Diterpenoid Natural Products
Published on: October 4, 2019
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Early-stage biosynthesis of phenalinolactone diterpenoids involves sequential prenylation, epoxidation, and
Tyler A Alsup1, Zining Li1, Caitlin A McCadden1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA jrudolf@chem.ufl.edu.
RSC Chemical Biology
|August 15, 2024
Summary
Researchers elucidated the early biosynthesis of bacterial phenalinolactone diterpenoids. The study reveals a sequential prenylation, epoxidation, and cyclization pathway for constructing the core structure.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Bacterial terpenoid biosynthesis pathways are not fully understood.
- Phenalinolactone diterpenoids represent a class of bacterial metabolites with complex structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the early-stage biosynthetic pathway of phenalinolactone diterpenoids in bacteria.
- To assign functions and determine the timing of key enzymes (PlaT1-PlaT3) involved in this process.
Main Methods:
- Heterologous reconstitution of biosynthetic enzymes.
- Biochemical assays to determine enzyme function and substrate specificity.
- Isolation and characterization of novel terpenoid compounds.
Main Results:
- The phenalinolactone core is assembled via sequential prenylation, epoxidation, and cyclization.
- UbiA prenyltransferase PlaT3 initiates biosynthesis by acting on geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP).
- Flavin-dependent monooxygenase PlaT1 and type II terpene cyclase PlaT2 catalyze subsequent epoxidation and cyclization steps, respectively.
- Eight new-to-nature terpenoids were discovered, expanding the known bacterial terpenome.
Conclusions:
- The elucidated biosynthetic strategy, with cyclization post-prenylation, is uncommon in bacteria and mirrors fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis.
- This work provides a foundation for future research in bacterial terpenoid discovery, engineering, and enzymology.
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